1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to golf courses, and particularly to a golf course, golf balls and a method of playing the golf course that enables playing a complete round of golf within a compressed time span but on a course having a regulation length fairway.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A preliminary patentability and novelty search relating to the invention described and claimed herein has revealed the existence of six U.S. patents as follows:
______________________________________ 3,464,703 3,904,209 4,063,738 4,157,831 4,577,867 4,413,827 ______________________________________
Referring to the prior art patents listed above, U.S. Pat. No. 3,464,703, as understood, relates to a golf course categorized as a "non-walking" course which nevertheless provides simulated putting "greens" at conventionally spaced distances so that a simulated game of golf may be played by the golfer without ever leaving the protected and enclosed Tee area. The simulated greens constitute shallow basins filled with water so that when a golf ball lands in the simulated "green" it obviously will not roll. Now, the golfer, theorizing that he has reached the "green", which is of course simulated, merely walks a few paces within the encloser to a real putting green and completes his play to that hole. This prior art patent is in sharp contrast to the golf course described herein which requires that the golfer drive to an actual green and then walk to the green (or ride a golf cart to the green) to complete his play to the cup associated with that green.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,904,209 also relates to a compact golf course providing multiple "holes" to shoot for from multiple "chutes" which have the effect of limiting the golfer's view point to the hole he is shooting for so that he is not distracted by a view of other holes to which other golfers might be shooting. This compact golf course is also categorized as a "non-walking" course and there is provided a moat to discourage players from walking on the fairways.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,738 is similar to U.S. Pat. No. 3,904,209 in some respects, but is different structurally and incorporates a different mode of playing the game of golf. However, it does provide a very compact course on which either nine or eighteen holes of golf may be played in a relatively short time. As with the two previous patents, it is not intended that golf players enter upon the fairway in this course.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,831 also relates to a compact golf course, but the arrangement is considerably different from the invention described and claimed herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,827 is categorized as a "scaled-down" golf course game. Implicit in this golf course game is the use of special variously colored "golf balls" that because of their design, cannot be driven as far as a conventional golf ball. This characteristic enables the use of much shorter fairways than would normally be the case. When the golfer reaches the putting green with his special "golf ball", he must then switch to a conventional golf ball to complete his play on the green.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,867 also relates to a golf game and golf course structure in which a short-flight, specially designed golf ball is utilized to enable the use of a very short fairway. This patent and the one previously discussed are significantly different in structure and mode of operation in that in the invention described and claimed herein regulation equipment is used to play on conventional length fairways and conventional putting greens, but played by a method that compresses only the time factor for playing a round of golf.
Accordingly, it is one of the objects of the invention herein to provide a golfer with the opportunity to play a round of golf out-of-doors, utilizing regulation equipment on a conventional fairway and putting green arrangement, but in a manner that enables playing a round of golf in a compressed time interval.
Another object of the invention is the provision of multiple sets of golf balls carrying indicia to indicate ownership and variously colored to correlate with the hole being played.
Still another object of the invention is the provision of a golf course construction designed to enable the playing of nine or eighteen holes of golf in a compressed time interval, and which may be closely juxtaposed to similar additional courses, all within a substantially compressed overall area, so that multiple sets of golfers may play golf on adjoining courses within a compressed time interval and without interference with each other.
The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be apparent from the following description and the drawings. It is to be understood however that the invention is not limited to the embodiment illustrated and described, since it may be embodied in various forms within the scope of the appended claims.